A century ago the Suffolk Sandlings heathland stretched almost continuously from Ipswich to Lowestoft.
Even I can remember large areas being ploughed up. This mainly level walk never goes on Tarmac and visits some attractive but less visited areas of heath and woodland using tracks and paths.
This walk uses some “access points” or gateways to reach Countryside and Rights of Way (CROW) Act access land which should be “mountain, moor, heath or down” (heath in Suffolk!). Each parcel of access land must have at least one access point although the latter can be part of a public footpath.
From the car park off the Bawdsey road walk south in the same direction away from the road from Woodbridge; pass picnic tables and go through an access point gate into heath enclosed by wire fencing.
Continue straight on the well-defined path at first through birches and pines then in five minutes open heath is reached. The path continues straight but when the fence blocks your way, go right then left joining a sandy track. In 25 yards go straight over a crossroads (1) of tracks and uphill following red byway waymarks.
Keep straight along the track for almost exactly one mile (1.6km) seeing handsome Broxted House to the right then going uphill past the site of the old Sutton Chapel and its almost vanished graveyard.
At point (2) you should take the grassy path on the left at the bottom of a little dip - this path is a right of way although unmarked at the junction. Go straight up and in five minutes a wooden signpost directs you to the right. You will emerge on delightful open heath where we ate our lunch surrounded by heather just coming into bloom.
Next go a little left to reach another access gate (3) beside the sandy farm track which is marked “private road”. Our route goes ahead across grass then turns left on yet another track. Go left and exit to the farm road at another access gate.
Keep straight along farm tracks for one mile and you keep straight on at cross tracks beside a sewerage plant, now on the Sandlings Trail. Soon you are beside a fence, which encloses the access land traversed earlier. Follow the fence keeping it immediately on the left passing two more access points; after you veer left the car park is ahead or you can use the “nature trail” on the right which is nicer and shorter reaching the start in under 15 minutes.
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